Ephedra tilhoana
Bell and Bachman (2011) state, "With so few known collections it is uncertain whether E. tilhoana represents a good species or is an outlying population of E. distachya."
Densely branched shrubs up to 80 cm tall, with branches erect, compacted, stiff, furrowed, rough, slightly glaucous. Leaves 2, with brown sheaths; dry, membranous. Female cones 2-flowered. Flowers slightly protruding at a right angle, scarcely 1 mm. long, with a short spiked apex. Fruits 6-8 mm. in diameter, subglobose, fleshy, red; seeds oval-oblong, slightly exserted, plano-convex (Maire 1932).
Chad, endemic to the Emi-Koussi volcano in the Tibesti mountains, at elevations of 2,000 to 2,600 m. All collections have been from a single population at the type locality. The Tibesti mountains are under no formal protection. No seed has been collected for this species and no collections are known from botanic gardens; if recognized as a distinct species, E. tilhoana is likely to be highly restricted and possibly threatened (Bell and Bachman 2011).
No data as of 2023.03.03.
The epithet honors Jean Tilho (1875-1956), who collected the type specimen during his exploration of the Tibesti Mountains in 1912 to 1917 (Maire 1932).
Bell, A. and S. Bachman. 2011. Ephedra tilhoana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T201717A9172712. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T201717A9172712.en, accessed 2021.12.26.
Maire, R. C. J. E. 1932. Plantes nouvelles du Tibetsi (mission Tilho et Dalloni). Bulletin du Museum national d'histoire naturelle, ser. 2, 4: 903. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2021.12.26.
Last Modified 2023-03-03
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